Union Pacific train derails in Victorville, Calif. (updated)

Union Pacific logo without slogan. UP Bailey Yard explosion appear to be accidental.

VICTORVILLE, Calif. — Twenty-seven cars of a Union Pacific train carrying iron ore derailed Tuesday in Victorville, blocking BNSF’s line through the community and leading to the cancellation of Tuesday’s eastbound departure of the Southwest Chief, the San Bernardino Sun reports. No injuries were reported. The derailment occurred about 8 a.m. The cause of the […]

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Brightline marks opening of Boca Raton, Aventura stations

Sign at new Boca Raton Brightline station

BOCA RATON, Fla. — After holding ceremonies today (Tuesday, Dec. 20) to mark the opening of new stations in Boca Raton and Aventura, Fla., Brightline will begin passenger service to both cities on its Miami-West Palm Beach route on Wednesday, Dec. 21. Ceremonies at Boca Raton were held at 9 a.m. featuring remarks by Brightline […]

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Top 7 1/2 products of 2022

Black, red, and white diesel locomotive on a scenery base

As we enter the holidays and highball into 2023, the MR staff wanted to take a look back at our top model railroad products of 2022. Any of these would make great gifts for any modeler on your Christmas list or even for yourself. Athearn added the General Electric Dash 9-44CW to its Genesis 2.0 […]

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Behind the scenes of Polar Express

lantern with Polar Express train behind

Polar Express Train Ride Wearing pajamas and big, bright smiles, more than 12,000 people shuffled through the door to see the National Railroad Museum’s Polar Express (PEX) Train Ride in Green Bay, Wis., this holiday season. Each show accommodates roughly 300 people because of the capacity of the museum’s Lenfestey Center. When the event was […]

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News photos: Hamilton, Ohio, station on the move

Building moves onto new lot

HAMILTON, Ohio — The move is in progress today for the first of two structures that make up the Hamilton, Ohio, railroad station — a structure dating to the 1850s and with a history including visits from at least four U.S. presidents. The station, donated to the city by CSX Transportation, is being located from […]

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Walthers Mainline Electro-Motive Division F40PH

Electro-Motive Division F40PH: white, red and blue model locomotive against a white background

Walthers Mainline Electro-Motive Division F40PH Scale: HO (1:87.1) Price: Direct-current model with 21-pin plug, $159.98; with dual-mode ESU LokSound 5 sound decoder, $219.98. Era: 1976+ (varies depending on paint scheme) Manufacturer: Wm. K. Walthers Inc., 5601 W. Florist Ave., Milwaukee, WI 53218; 414-527-0770; walthers.com Walthers Electro-Motive Division F40PH features: Based on Phase-2b prototype Factory-installed vertical handrails […]

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STB streamlines rules for settling small rate cases

WASHINGTON — The Surface Transportation Board has adopted a pair of streamlined rules designed to make it easier for shippers and railroads to settle disputes in smaller rate cases. The Monday decisions established two new rate reasonableness procedures, including a voluntary arbitration program and a new process called Final Offer Rate Review. Shippers applauded the […]

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Union Pacific asks STB for more time to respond to Amtrak request for Sunset Limited investigation (updated)

Two silver locomotives with passenger train at station

WASHINGTON — The Surface Transportation Board has granted Union Pacific’s request for more time to respond to Amtrak’s request for action regarding UP’s handling of the Sunset Limited, which Amtrak says has the worst on-time performance in its system. In a document filed Monday, Dec. 19, UP notes that the board’s procedures do not specifically […]

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KCS Holiday Train raises more than $215,000

Kansas City Southern Lines logo

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Kansas City Southern’s Holiday Express raised more than $215,000 to benefit the Salvation Army during its 2022 tour, the railroad has announced. The holiday, train, returning after a two-year hiatus because of the COVID-19 pandemic, visited 20 communities in eight states and drew almost 48,000 visitors. “I am so pleased that […]

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LIRR to begin Grand Central Madison operations with shuttle service to Jamaica

Long Island Rail Road train arrives at crowded station platform

NEW YORK — The Metropolitan Transportation Authority still hasn’t announced when service will begin to Grand Central Madison, its new station beneath Grand Central Terminal that will complete the long-awaited Long Island Rail Road East Side Access project. On Monday, however, the MTA did say how that service will start. Initially, the LIRR will operate […]

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Mishandling of air brakes led to three-train Minnesota accident, NTSB says

Diagram of three-train accident at junction with two parallel tracks

WASHINGTON — Improper handling of train air brakes by the engineer of a Canadian Pacific train was the cause of a three-train accident in St. Paul, Minn., in August 2021, the National Transportation Safety Board has determined. The accident report, issued Dec. 8, covers an Aug. 25 incident that saw the CP train strike a […]

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FTA announces $686 million in grants for transit station accessibility

Federal Transit Administration logo

WASHINGTON — The Federal Transit Adminstration on Monday announced approximately $686 million in grant funding for accessibility upgrades at transit stations across the United States. The grants represent the first round of funding under the new All Station Accessibility Program, or ASAP, part of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. They will go to 15 projects in […]

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